odd questions
 

I have a couple of odd questions. These concern my 39 Ford PU. First - I removed my glove box door and found that each of the two side screws (on the left and right midway up each side) went thru pieces of wood - they went as follows - inside frame a screw goes thru left and right sides thru a piece of wood and then the nut. If the wood is original - what was purpose? The actual cardboard box itself had been removed long ago and I was removing door for painting. Second - Old original amp. meter had a round "hood" attached to back of meter and there were two heavy electrical wires thru the loop. New wiring just has a single wire with tab on end to be attached to a stud and then a nut. Can I get some type of adapter and use the old gauge (if good)? Another question - firewall in engine compartment - looking at battery "box" - what is the recessed place with a hole (about 5/16") in it , going into the cab? Just curious!!

Re: odd questions
 

I've got 3 39's ans 1 38 - don't remember any wood there.........

I put up a post a year or so ago on firewall holes. May look it up under my user name - "malpais".

Gordon

Re: odd questions
 

Thanks malpais, I will check it out. The small wood blocks are strange. They are about 2" long and maybe 1/2" wide and deep. I hesitate to say it but I wonder if someone had screws that were to long and no good way to cut them - they might have used the wood to use to tighten the screws. Who knows, you could never see the wood unless you tried to remove those screws. Thanks

Re: odd questions
 

Randy, as Gordon has stated there is no wood any were near that glove box, I'm sure there are others that can attest to this and knowing what is correct for our 38-39's should be priority.

Gordon welcome back to Ford barn, you have a lot of insight on these 38/39 Pickups, keep posting. Scott

Recessed hole is for your battery hold down.

Re: odd questions
 

Apparently you are installing non original wiring. The 'loop' you are referring to is an induction loop that the wiring passes thru to operate the gauge.

Re: odd questions
 

Thank you for all for the information. When I ordered the new wiring harnesses, I thought I was getting the old original type. Obviously, Carpenter's is not the old original type. Now, is there some type of adapter for the amp gauge that I can buy and still use the new harness and the original gauge? Arriving in the world of early V8 is somewhat of a shock and it takes time to try and progress. It took me a good while to realize that my truck had a different engine than the one it came with and I made many decisions based on false beliefs. Mistakes are made, so now what is my best plan of action?

Re: odd questions
 

I could be wrong but your replacement wiring harness from your description is for a volt meter and not an amp meter, what gauge wire is it? An amp meter would require a heavier gauge wire.

Regards,

Brian

Re: odd questions
 

I not sure why this would be a problem. All that is need for the gauge to work is the main wire from the battery (via the starter solenoid) passing through the loop before it is attached to the fuse panel. Don't connect any wire that is specifically for an amp/volt meter, just stow it. (assume you are wiring a 39 pickup?)

The wire has to pass through the loop, if the connector on the end it to large to go through you will have to remove the end, pass it through the loop and reconnect the end. The loop is sensing the current flow through the wire. When power is flowing from the generator toward the battery (to charge it) the gauge will display toward the (+). When the pickup systems are drawing more current than the generator can output and is pulling power from the battery it will display toward the (-). During normal running the gauge should be just slightly toward the (+). If it reads backward when all connected and running you will have to remove the wire from through the loop and reinsert it in the other direction.

Re: odd questions
 

I caused part of my problem. I assumed(I hate this word) that my engine was a 1939 and ordered what I thought was the correct wiring harness. Even before I got the wiring harness, I found out that my engine was a 1945-1948. When I got the wiring harness, I immediately returned it and got the harness for a motor with a voltage regulator. The above schematic is for a motor with a cutout. JS, you have always been most helpful to me and I appreciate your patience with me. I really am not stupid - just slow to comprehend. For the sake of my truck, do not give up on me. I'm guessing that when you say fuse panel, you are referring to what I call the original "coil resistor". If I need to run a new wire to do this job, what size wire should I use.
Remember, patience is a virtue.
Many Thanks
Randy

Re: odd questions
 

It is still not going to be that big an issue!! Did they provide you with a diagram? Lets start with the 41-42 Truck diagram, it uses the type of gauge your harness seems to be fab for.

Look at the heavy Yellow wire that goes from the starter solenoid (battery side) to the amp meter (post style). The other side of the amp meter goes to the circuit breaker panel and connects to the post as the battery lead from the voltage regulator. I don't know if your setup uses the CBs or a fuse panel, and it doesn't matter.

Now look at the 46-47 diagram. Follow the same wire from the starter solenoid to the amp meter. These years are back to the loop style. The wire loops through the amp meter and back to the CB panel, again on the post with the battery lead from the voltage regulator.

If your harness is like the 41 diagram, just pass the wire from the solenoid through the loop and connect that wire to the one that connects to the CB panel or fuse panel, whichever. You can put a connector on them to allow them to be disconnected in the future or just connect them directly together. In the later case I would solder them and use heat shrink on it.

Re: odd questions
 

It looks like the wiring harness you have should still have the wire passing through the ammeter loop.

Bob

Re: odd questions
 

Some would disagree, but call Tyree Davis - I think in North Carolina. He's been very helpful to me on wiring, but some have had a little trouble with him. He's made me harnesses that are better than original, and any mods I want.

Ask him about his car (Ford) and vw's from the past.

804 556 5200. Tell him I sent ya.

Gordon

PS.
We just had 20" of snow, and when it settles a bit I'll look at glove boxes. I believe I still have one or two "virgin" trucks.

Re: odd questions
 

BTW, JSeery's info is spot on, as usual. Tyree (and I) just crimped the wire terminal a bit to get it thru the loop - did not have to remove entirely. Just don't remember a second wire

Gordon

Re: odd questions
 

Randy...I believe the hole behind the battery box was present in 37-39 pickups. The battery hold down bracket had a downward projection with a hole in the rear for a bolt to pass through. The bolt went through the bracket, passed through the firewall, and the nut and washer were inside the cab. I have been told it was to keep people from being able to steal the battery. If the 39 uses the same battery bolts as the 37 pickup, they are scarce as the Dickens with two different lenghts, neither of which is the same as the passenger car.